Is ecological economics for rebels? Accounting for natural resources

Dr. Anke Schaffartzik (Institute of Social Ecology, Vienna)

Ecologcial economics conceptualizes our society as embedded within the environment and our economic system as embedded within society and the environment. This may seem only logical but in fact is a proposition that is irreconcilable not only with some of the tenets of neoclassical economic theory but also with any growth-based economic system. Natural resources – in their materiality, not (only) in terms of their monetary value – as part of economy-wide accounting allow us to observe close ties between economic growth and the ‘Great Acceleration’ and provide support for the degrowth agenda.

Lecture and Q&A